"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7(NLT).

I'm a mom who recently wrote an article for the Milwaukee Moms website called "Peace for Crazy Busy Moms" introducing readers to Moms in Prayer International. It happened to post on December 14, 2012 around 9 a.m. This is the same morning the tragic, heartbreaking, school shooting took place at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut. I immediately fell into mourning as I grieved for those families. The impact of the tragedy took away my peace for a time. I struggled to even let my own children ride the bus to school, thinking how this horror could be lurking anywhere. Thankfully, I didn't have to send my children to school the day after the Sandy Hook shooting because a beautiful snowstorm closed most of the schools in our area. I thanked God, for the extra time to hug my children and to reflect on the tragedy. My cries to God for His children's safety became louder. My need to feel God's peace became greater.

As the Outreach Coordinator for Wisconsin's Moms in Prayer International my goal is simple: to inspire moms to pray for their children and schools - moms who want what is best for their children but feel worried, especially when they see tragedy strike. I am one of those moms and have found much comfort in this prayer ministry. Their mission statement is to "impact children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray." Fern Nicholas who started this ministry in 1984 said, "I seemed to always be praying on the run. My prayer time was hit and miss. I was busy, productive in many wonderful things, but I wasn't doing the best thing - spending consistent prayer time with God". These thoughts birthed a worldwide, organized prayer ministry for moms and grandmoms known today as Moms in Prayer International.

Moms in Prayer groups meet weekly and follow a Four Steps of Prayer format: 1) Praise: praising God for who he is. 2) Confession: silently confessing sin to the God who forgives. 3) Thanksgiving: thanking God for what He has done. 4) Intercession: praying scriptures for our children, praying for our child's specific needs, praying for the school staff and praying for Moms in Prayer International. The Moms in Prayer website www.momsinprayer.org has valuable information on how easy it is to start your own group. All it takes is inviting other moms and committing to one hour each week. There is a group locator on the website that allows you to find out if there is a group already praying for the schools in your area. If you would like to talk to someone about further details, please call or email Sherri Anderson, the Wisconsin State Coordinator for Moms in Prayer, at 608-225-5592 or WI@MomsInPrayer.org.

Praying can help fill the void of feeling powerless and worried in uncertain times. Ask for God's help and guidance, He wants us to. "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" Psalm 91:11(NIV).